Useful info from one of Sage's articles...:"I came to the Ariane de Rothschild Fellowship having worked primarily in the arts and education sectors. I co-direct an organization structured as an LLC that promotes dialogue and healing through all arts. One of my central questions in embarking on the fellowship was whether DNAWORKS should become a 501(c)(3), or if there was a better fiscal and tax status for the organization. In addition to getting a clearer picture of how to run DNAWORKS, I also discovered a world of critical information that I had not previously encountered. At Cambridge, I found myself reflecting daily on how excited I was by the epiphanies I was having – such as how personal and accessible the articles in the Harvard Business Review are – as well as how frustrating and disturbing it was that I had not been exposed to this information previously. It felt as if we were being given “the keys to the kingdom” for economic success in a global market. Mostly, I realized how crucial it is as an artist to have access to the information we received and to be able to use it in my work. My conclusion – artists and entrepreneurs have a lot to learn from each other.
I had previously been exposed to a “backward planning” model of strategic project development through a life coaching course I took over 10 years ago. At the time, it was a revelation to me because it revealed how, especially in the arts world, a project leader could focus on success rather than tainting the project with the recurrent fear of failure. It also meant, from creative, staffing, and financial perspectives, that if a project is clearly laid out with achievable deliverables articulated over time, participants can relax into the process, invest in it, and enjoy themselves. I began to teach this “theory of inevitable success,” as I termed it, in my project-based learning courses at New York University and now City University of New York, including working with youth and other populations in facilitating theatrical workshops and productions. In some ways, the first creative signature of a project or venture is how that strategic planning model is envisioned and implemented – two teams could take the same project and goals and arrive at two unique paths in achieving them. This is, in my mind, the artistry in business, two terms that are usually used as polar opposites in the arts world with the ubiquitous model of separate artistic and executive directors.
The work thus far on the Fellowship has deepened my conviction that artists, educators, and activists desperately need the business tools to make their social service projects sustainable – both in terms of the projects, themselves, and the livelihoods of the project facilitators. Too many of us work just at or below a line of fiscal health and, rather than being able to focus on our work with young people, elders, populations of all abilities, societies in conflict, and other historically marginalized peoples, we scramble for the resources to pay the bills, our co-workers, and, lastly, ourselves. Being able to monetize what we do, measure the social impact, and articulate it to others in terms of social profit are the first steps in taking ownership of our work in a larger fiscal landscape, rather than accepting the brand of “not-for-profit” that, too often, means working for nothing or sinking into debt and/or constant emotional distress.
As entrepreneurs, whether in the arts or financial worlds, we also need to know our strengths – some of us are ideas people, some are development people, some are organizational mavens. Thinking in terms of Howard Gardner’s theory of “multiple intelligences,” each person has a strength or series of strengths; but as so often happens in entrepreneurial ventures, the ideas person winds up wearing all the hats and having difficulty enrolling others or sharing the responsibilities – and that is certain death for a project. The first questions we dreamers need to ask ourselves are, “What am I good at and what do I need others to do?” And then we actually need to act on those answers."AND an interesting Start-Up List from the American Association of Community Theatre:1. Decide on a collaborative structure.Do you want to run it as a benevolent dictatorship? A cooperative? Or something in-between? How will you choose projects? Who will help with the non-artistic administrative work? Be very clear about the decision-making structure and lines of responsibility. A good place to begin is with the
bylaws of other theatre companies. We've included seven of them on this website.2. Develop a mission statement.This should be your company's identity, and the litmus test by which you consider future projects. Make it as broad as possible, while still identifying a unique vision. [See
The Mission Statement]
3. Create a name and a look.Brainstorm ideas on names for your company. Develop a logo and an identifiable "look" for your publicity, etc. Check to make sure that your proposed name is not already in local use,4. Register your company name with the local authorities.In order to become a registered business and protect the name that you have chosen, you must register with your city. You may have to register as a D.B.A. ("Doing Business As"), effectively registering it as an alias for one or more individuals in the company. Check to see where this is done in your area. After filing your name, you must announce the creation of your business in a local paper. 5. Open a bank account.The best way to keep track of your company's financial situation is to open a separate bank account. It also enables you to accept checks written to the company's name. You must be registered with the city in order to open an account under a D.B.A. name. Many banks are offering fee-free everything to business customers, so shop around.6. Sign up with relevant service organizations.
Join AACT, your local theatre alliance, your
state or regional organization. This gives you credibility, and access to lots of ideas and services. Consider joining a local service organization such as Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce.7. Decide on profit/nonprofit status.This is one of the most difficult decisions to make, if you choose to go nonprofit, there is bureaucracy and paperwork to navigate. The main advantage is qualifying for grants and special discounts. Foundations can legally give grants only to nonprofjts, and individual donors can write off nonprofit contributions on their taxes. However, most foundations give only to companies with a proven track record. Be realistic about whether the effort is worth it. You can always wait and turn nonprofit in the future. (Fiscal sponsorship is a popular option for small companies, whereby they can apply for grants and access bulk mail rates through a separate nonprofit umbrella organization Often these organizations take a percentage of grant income in return.) Click here for more on i
ncorporating as a nonprofit organization.8. Make funding decisions.Will most of your budget depend on grants? The kindness of your family? Dues paid by company members? Earned income such as merchandise sales, auctions, and theme parties? Each has its advantages and drawbacks. Making decisions on funding sources and likely amounts of income will help determine how ambitious your plans should be The
Foundation Center's whole purpose is to help non-profits and individuals find money. 9. Strategize potential non-production activities.Doing a show or two a year is enough for some groups, while others like to maintain a continual presence to increase visibility and develop audiences. Examples of additional activities include teaching classes, hosting staged readings, and engaging in various forms of community outreach.10. Create a database.Nothing takes more time than repeatedly writing out addresses on postcards. There are lots of good database programs out there that allow you to print labels in a matter of minutes. It is advisable to keep a separate database for general mailings and another for press contacts. 11. Think About Your Audience.Who will come see your plays? How are they likely to learn about them? How do similar companies promote their work? Consider doing a list exchange or purchasing mailing lists from companies with audiences you would like to attract. 12. Work Backwards.Put your first production date far enough into the future that you have time to lay some groundwork, You won't do your best planning under the deadline of an approaching opening night.
13. Join AACT. Membership in the American Association of Community Theatre links you with companies all over the United States and beyond. You'll get the benefits of networking with thousands of other theatre people, and more than 1500 different companies of all sizes, in all kinds of communities. You'll also have access to the members-only pages of this website, including proven ideas for fundraising, choosing a season, publicity and marketing, and much more.
Click here for membership information.
